The Vault of Souls
by Above the Winter Moonlight
Summary: Post-Brisingr AU, When the Varden and the Empire collide in an unplanned battle, Eragon and Murtagh find themselves lost deep within the Spine, unaided and with dangers and shocking discoveries stalking them in the shadows…R&R ON HOLD
1. One: A Battle Unplanned

**The Vault of Souls**

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**Full Summary:** Post Brisingr AU, When the Varden and the Empire collide in an unplanned battle, Eragon and Murtagh find themselves lost deep within the Spine, unaided and with dangers and shocking discoveries stalking them in the shadows…

**Author: **xXJedi Knight BlazeXx

**Genre:** Adventure/Romance

**Rating: **T for safety and language, mainly in the Author's notes

**Primary Pairings:** Eragon X Arya / Murtagh X Nasuada

**Author's Note: **This is my newest Inheritance Cycle story and I hope that you like it. This takes place after Brisingr but it is not my version of the fourth Inheritance Cycle book because of the many things that happen that don't happen in the actual series, hence the AU at the beginning of the summary. Oh and this is going to replace "Somewhere I Belong" and "Far From Over" is officially on hold. So please review and here is the first chapter and I hope you like it.

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**One:**

**A**** Battle Unplanned**

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The landscape that surrounded the city of Feinster was filled with lush green forests and rolling hills. All seemed peaceful in the land but the sounds of troopers marching broke through the sincere silence and Eragon Shadeslayer glanced up sharply from his perch on one of the roofs of the house.

_What was that? _He wondered silently. His dragon was flying above the building and Eragon noticed that she was looking in the direction of the noise.

_I think the Empire's troops are coming but that is strange, why are they getting ready to mass an attack when they barely survived the last attack? _Saphira murmured silently as she stopped at the edge of the building before lowering her head. _Let's find Nasuada and see what we must do._

_I agree,_ Eragon replied, he quickly got to his feet before climbing onto Saphira's back and the great blue dragon spread her wings before flying over the city and heading straight the location of Nasuada's command post.

The dark skinned Varden Queen was standing outside of the building with Roran, Katrina, and Arya standing right beside her. Saphira circled before landing on the ground and Eragon leapt to the ground before walking over to join them.

"What's happening?" he asked. "I did not think the Empire would return after their last defeat here a few weeks ago."

"Aye, neither did I but that is what this appears to be," Nasauda said gravelly. "I think Galbatorix wanted to try and take Feinster back now that Oromis and Glaedr are dead."

"Because of Murtagh," Eragon murmured a bit sadly, he still couldn't believe his own half-brother had killed Oromis and Glaedr at the battle over Gilead a few weeks ago at near the same time as Eragon and Arya defeated the Shade, Varaug, here at Feinster.

Arya smiled sympathetically. "I am deeply sorry about your loss," she said. "But we have to face facts, Murtagh is working for the Empire, whether because he wants to or because he doesn't, but he is still working for Galbatorix."

_You need to stop thinking about him, Eragon, we told him that he may be able to change his true name but so far, it has not been able to happen. If Murtagh is in this battle, I think we will face more dilemmas before this battle, if it is a battle, is over, _Saphira said silently.

_Aye,_ Eragon agreed. Shouts sounded and troopers hurried toward the entrance to Feinster.

Nasauda glanced up sharply before gazing at Eragon. "Are you ready to fight?" she asked her dark eyes narrowing slightly.

"Aye, what about you?" Eragon asked.

"I am ready," Arya said pulling out her elven sword before glancing at Roran. "I think you should take Katrina inside. She is expecting a child and we cannot risk her getting injured."

Roran hesitated but nodded before taking his wife's hand and hurrying away from the building. Nasuada pulled out her sword before glancing up at the sky and Eragon followed her gaze before narrowing his eyes as he scanned the skies. His elven sight allowed him to see the reddish outlines of beings far away and he instantly recognized the form of a dragon, the dragon wasn't dark and Eragon was glad Galbatorix wasn't taking place in this battle.

"Murtagh's with them," Arya said following his gaze and her own elven sight allowed her to see the red dragon.

"Aye, good luck, I fear you are going to need it," Eragon replied. Arya nodded and Eragon climbed onto Saphira before the sapphire blue dragon spread her wings before shooting into the sky. Eragon pulled out _Brisingr_ out of its' sheath and gazed at the blade as it glittered sapphire blue, like Saphira's scales, in the sunlight.

Eragon and Saphira flew directly toward the red dragon as it came closer into view and Murtagh, his eyes narrowed, instantly called out, "I did not think you would participate in this battle, brother."

"I did not think there was going to be a battle today," Eragon called back.

"Galbatorix was once again displeased with my defeat at Surda and he has told me to bring you to him no matter what," Murtagh called.

"I will not become a slave to the dark King, not like you," Eragon retorted and Saphira roared an agreement before letting out a sheet of blue flame and Thorn, growling, instantly flew out of the way to avoid it. Eragon noticed, as he did when he was watching through Glaedr's eyes, that Thorn was missing most of his tail.

"I didn't have a choice," Murtagh sneered. "Galbatorix did whatever he could to break me and I couldn't stop him."

"You can change your true name, Murtagh, it is possible," Eragon replied.

Murtagh let out a barking laugh. "Even if I was able to change my name, I am sure Galbatorix has some sort of spell that will tell him if I changed my name or not," he snapped. "There is no hope for me, I have been thinking about your proposal but the only way I may change my name is to become something I am not and I cannot do that."

"What about letting go of the anger you have toward your father?" Eragon called. Murtagh snarled in fury before swinging _Zar'roc _at Eragon who instantly raised _Brisingr_ to block the blow, sending a shower of sparks fly to the ground. Saphira and Thorn crashed into each other, their claws slashing at each other and their teeth bared in snarls of fury.

"I am not angry at my father, I hate him! After everything he put me through, I was glad when he was killed," Murtagh shouted back before swinging the ruby sword and Eragon blocked the blow.

The battle beneath them was getting rougher and Eragon noticed that many of the soldiers that worked for the Empire were still unable to make it into the city. The Varden were holding at the gate and, through his elven sight, Eragon could see Arya and Nasuada fighting side by side with Roran nearby.

"You don't mean that, Murtagh, think about what you are saying, you cannot hate your father, there must be some sort of other emotion in you that you feel toward your father," Eragon called back. The wind whipped at his hair and sent it flying into his face but he couldn't push it out of his face as he blocked another blow from Murtagh.

"How would you know? You never knew our father, you don't know what he put me through, how he made me suffer and tortured me. I told you of the story of how I got the scar from my father when I was only three years old," Murtagh shouted. "You never knew this pain, you were raised away from your father."

_Tell him_, Saphira said silently as she sank her teeth into Thorn's shoulder and the red dragon growled in pain before struggling to get free and when they did, a spray of blood appeared from the deep wound.

_But…_ Eragon began silently.

_Tell him, Eragon, he needs to know the truth, _Saphira ordered silently.

Eragon took a deep breath. "Murtagh, Morzan is not my father," he said softly.

Disbelief shone in Murtagh's eyes. "What?" he asked sounding shocked.

"He is not my father, my mother was known as Selena but my father is Brom," Eragon replied in the same soft voice. They were currently flying above the mountain range known as the Spine and Eragon didn't know how they got this far from Feinster, he was too busy concentrating on the battle at hand.

Murtagh's eyes went wider, if that were possible, than before. "How can that be? Galbatorix was sure that you and I were brothers," he breathed.

"Aye but we are half-brothers, not brothers," Eragon replied. "I only found out about it just before the Battle of Feinster. So I have felt pain before, I never knew my father. I only knew him as the old storyteller that stayed at Carvahall and when he died, I never got to know more about him. We have both had our shares of loss and pain and anger and even hatred but you need to pull through it, you need to let it go, I let go of my hatred of the Ra'zac and you should let go of your hatred for your father."

"I…I can't," Murtagh protested, his eyes were wide and Eragon could tell that he was thinking heavily about what Eragon had just told him.

"Aye, you can," Eragon replied.

Murtagh lowered his head and Eragon was startled when a flash of pain shone in his eyes and he put a hand on his head. "Stop it!" he yelled suddenly. "Stop it, leave me be!"

"Murtagh…" Eragon began.

"Stop it, please," Murtagh cried. He raised his blue eyes to the sky above before turning to look at Eragon and swinging his sword rapidly at Eragon who moved to block but there was so much force behind Murtagh's attack that when the two blades clashed with each other, it knocked them off of their dragons.

Locked in battle with Thorn, Saphira could only watch helplessly as Eragon and Murtagh together fell rapidly toward the depths of the forest of the Spine that lay beneath them.

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**A/n what do you think?**

**Blaze: well, that was the first chapter and I know it was short**

**Darth: come on! Hurry up!**

**Blaze: hold on, I'm almost done!**

**Darth: hurry up, we're missing wrestling**

**Blaze: okay, okay, I'm coming, please review and I'll post the next chapter as soon as I possibly can**


	2. Two: Truth and Consequences

**Blaze: woohoo! Time for chapter two**

**Darth: yay, it's about time**

**Blaze: ah shut up**

**Darth: make me**

**Blaze: (brings out a muzzle and honey)**

**Darth: (pushes Palpypie in front of him)**

**Blaze: okay then, that works too (puts muzzle on Palpypie, pours honey on him and pushes him into a hole filled with bees)**

**Palpypie: mmmm!!!!!!!**

**Eragon: what was that about?**

**Galbycakes: I haven't the slightest clue**

**Blaze: die! (pulls out bazooka)**

**Galbycakes: ahhhh! (Takes off running but trips, rolls and crashes into the other dark lords, knocking them all into a pit filled with sharp rocks, rancors, sarlaccs, piranhas, fire, sharks, a black hole, and lightening)**

**Blaze: STRIKE!**

**Eragon and Murtagh: (laughing hard)**

**Blaze: here is chapter do and I hope you like it and once again, this is AU so what is mentioned in this chapter is completely different from what actually happened in the series. Mainly saying, a scene in one of the books didn't happen as it did in the series but hey, that's why it's AU.**

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**Two:**

**Truth and Consequences**

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The interior of the palace at Uru'bean was silent and the only thing that could be heard were soldiers walking up and down the hallways of the castle. A young woman narrowed her eyes slightly as she crept down the hallway toward the room of the last egg. She knew that Galbatorix was in an angry mood but she didn't know why and she knew she would only have one chance at this. The anger that the King was feeling was clouding his mind and he wouldn't be able to sense if an alarm went off.

The woman shook her head; she was known by many names but the name she preferred above all else was Ice because she was as slippery and as cold as ice. She never liked the Alagaesian King and she was determined to undermind him one way or another and if that meant stealing the green egg, giving it to the Varden supporter who was currently waiting in the tunnels and living to see the King's plan backfire on him, she was determined to do it.

Ice narrowed her eyes as she walked down the hallway but she suddenly found many soldiers fanning out around her. "Where are you going?" the soldier demanded.

"This way," Ice replied sarcastically.

The soldier scowled angrily. "No one is allowed down this hallway," he hissed.

Ice narrowed her eyes before pulling out her sword and swinging it rapidly at the soldier, catching him off guard and it sliced through his cheek and sent him flying to the ground. _Damn it, I'll have another shot but not now,_ she thought as she turned around and fled from the scene with the Alagaesian guards right after her.

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Galbatorix was furious; he didn't know how, he only knew that Murtagh had slipped out of his control. His damn half-brother had gotten through to him and his true name changed and Galbatorix had felt it almost as soon as it happened.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath pacing in front of his throne as he struggled to come up with a way to bring Murtagh back under his control but he didn't know where the young man was. The Second Battle of Feinster was over, Galbatorix knew that, and the Varden won because Murtagh and his half-brother had suddenly disappeared.

At that instant, the door opened and a soldier walked in. "Your Majesty, we found this woman trying to steal the last dragon egg," he said saluting.

"Send her in," Galbatorix snarled angrily.

The young woman that was thrust into the room was glaring angrily at him with fiery ice-blue eyes and she was struggling against the two soldiers that held her.

"Who are you?" The King demanded.

"What's it to you?" the woman hissed.

Galbatorix glared at her. "I have ways of finding out what I need to know," he retorted angrily. "Now I ask again, what is your name?"

"Ice," the woman snapped.

"A nickname? What is your real name?"

"As if I would tell you."

The King narrowed his eyes before instantly probing her mind and Ice collapsed on the ground, clutching her head and crying out in pain. The one name that kept popping up caused Galbatorix to stagger back in surprise, the name that came clearly to him: _Brom._

"Why are you thinking about Brom?" he asked.

"N…No reason," Ice stammered out.

"Brom is dead," Galbatorix snapped. "So why are you thinking about him?"

"No reason," Ice muttered.

"I have ways of finding out the truth," Galbatorix hissed angrily before probing her mind harder and Ice screamed in pain, clutching her hand and the King could tell by her feeble attempts to shield her thoughts that she was harboring important information that she didn't want anyone else to find out. He probed deeper but Ice was trying so hard to hide this one piece of information and she accidentally let slip something Galbatorix could use to his advantage.

He smiled slightly. "You will tell me the truth," he said coolly before whispering Ice's true name under his breath.

"No," Ice cried, her eyes shooting wide with shock. "How…?"

A cold smirk crossed Galbatorix's features. "You were trying so hard to hide this important little detail that you let your true name slip free," he said. "Now you will tell me what you are hiding."

"No, I…I can't," Ice cried.

"You will," Galbatorix snapped before saying her true name again and Ice cried out in pain before lowering her head and clutching it as though it were throbbing. "What are you hiding for me?"

"The boy, Eragon, he is not Morzan's son," Ice murmured unable to keep anything back because Galbatorix had used her true name when he issued the command.

"What?" Galbatorix exclaimed. "Who is his father?" he said Ice's true name for extra measure and Ice lowered her head, whimpering in pain.

"His…His real father is…is Brom," she stammered out.

"Is that what you were keeping from me? Or was it something else? Answer truthfully," Galbatorix ordered using her true name again.

"It was…It was something else," Ice whimpered and Galbatorix could tell she was trying hard to keep the information to herself.

"Tell me," Galbatorix commanded angrily and added her true name at the end of the command.

Ice whimpered again. "Brom…he's…he's…no, I can't say, I can't say," she cried struggling to fend Galbatorix off but the King was too powerful.

"He is what? Tell me truthfully," Galbatorix said issuing her true name at the end.

"He's…he's…still alive," Ice whimpered, pain and guilt flashing in her eyes.

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Murtagh groaned as he struggled to blink open his eyes. The last thing he remembered was being knocked off of Thorn and crashing through a bunch of trees. Before that he had been fighting his brother, no his _half-_brother and learned that Morzan wasn't Eragon's father, Brom was.

And then there was Galbatorix's voice and the pain in his mind that had caused him to attack Eragon fiercely, causing both of them to go flying off of their dragons. But for some reason, Murtagh felt free, it was as if he had changed his true name. He didn't know how he could have done it but he felt as if it was true.

He sat up slowly before putting a hand on his head as soon as it started to throb and he gazed around. He saw the unconscious form of his half-brother lying on the ground nearby. He slowly got to his feet before making his way to his half-brother's side. Eragon looked as though he had taken a harder hit than Murtagh did.

Murtagh could feel a few bruises and scrapes but there didn't seem to be any broken bones. He figured the trees had broken his fall, Eragon wasn't in that good of shape from what Murtagh could tell. From the looks of it, Murtagh thought he had fallen straight through the hole in the canopy of trees.

A thin line of blood was on Eragon's forehead and, as Murtagh struggled to roll his half-brother over, Eragon let out a weak moan of pain. Murtagh placed a hand on Eragon's forehead. "_Waise heill,_" he whispered, his palm flared briefly but it faded away and Murtagh stared in shock when he noticed nothing happened.

_What in the world is going on?_ He thought trying again but it didn't work and Murtagh frowned. He knew that all of Alagaesia was magically and the words of the Ancient Language could be performed anywhere. _But why can't we perform it here?_ he wondered silently.

Eragon moaned again before blinking his brown eyes open and gazing around. "W…Where am I?" he murmured struggling to sit up.

Murtagh helped him to a sitting position. "We're somewhere in the Spine," he said.

Eragon blinked before glancing at him and Murtagh could see the blood from the wound on his forehead was starting to fall into his eyes. He tore off a part of his shirt before tying it around his half-brother's forehead.

"Thanks," Eragon murmured, he attempted to lift one of his hands and cried out in pain. Murtagh glanced at him and noticed that it was hanging limply .

"I think you broke your arm, is there anything else broken?" Murtagh asked.

Eragon struggled to stand but let out a cry of pain and put an arm on his ribs. "I…I think my ribs are broken," he said.

Murtagh sighed. "We are in a bad situation," he muttered.

"Why?"

"We can't use magic here, I already tried several times but it won't work," Murtagh said.

"Can you contact Thorn? I can't contact Saphira, the bond's still there but the pain is clouding my mind," Eragon murmured.

Murtagh narrowed his eyes. "I'll try," he said before closing his eyes. _Thorn_, he called silently but nothing answered his calls and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't contact his dragon.

"It didn't work," he said opening his eyes.

Eragon moaned before lying back down and wincing at the pain in his ribs. "What are we going to do know?" he muttered.

"We?" Murtagh echoed.

Eragon turned his head slightly. "Whether you like it or not, Murtagh, we are stuck in this mess together," he said. "And it isn't likely we'll be able to get out of here unless we work together."

Murtagh narrowed his eyes. "What about Galbatorix? And the Varden?" he asked.

"We can't think about now, Murtagh," Eragon muttered, the pain in his voice was evident. "We need to think about ourselves right now." He turned his gaze back to the sky above his head. "And it looks like, without magic or our dragons, we are completely on our own."

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**A/n what do you think?**

**Blaze: I liked this chapter**

**Darth: eh, it was okay**

**Blaze: (pouts)**

**Tigerstar: here you go (hands Blaze a sugar cane)**

**Blaze: YAY!! (Eats sugar cane)**

**Darth: (sighs) sugar high, ah man, cappuccino time (disappears)**

**Blaze: YAY FOR SUGAR! I LOVE SUGAR! SUGAR IS AWESOME!**

**Tigerstar: Great StarClan (goes to paint DX on Palpypie's Death Star)**

**Palpypie: stay away from my Death Star**

**Tigerstar: (paints DX on Palpypie's Death Star)**

**Palpypie: NOOO!**

**Blaze: (is hyper) PLEASE REVIEW, PLEASE REVIEW, PLEASE REVIEW, PLEASE REVIEW, PLEASE REVIEW, PLEASE REVIEW, PLEASE REVIEW**


	3. Three: Survivor Search

**Blaze: yay! Time for the next chapter (driving Mace's Mustang)**

**Darth: have you gotten over your sugar high?**

**Blaze: maybe (sugar crash hits her and she crashes Mace's Mustang)**

**Mace: ah come on!**

**Blaze: (sleeping)**

**Darth: you shouldn't have lent her your Mustang while she was on a sugar high because sugar crashes causes crashes on Mustang. Off to Starbucks**

**Mace: ah come on! I'm going to need another $2000 dollars to fix my Mustang (steals Palpypie's credit card)**

**Palpypie: I cancelled the card hee, hee, hee**

**Yoda: cancel good not**

**Palpypie: what you mean?**

**Yoda: Gave Mace your new card I did with pin**

**Palpypie: ah come on**

**Yoda: hee, hee, hee (paints DX on Vader's Star Destroyer)**

**Vader: Ah come on! I just painted that damn thing**

**Darth: (pops up) Good job, here's chapter 3 and Blaze hopes you like it and she also wants to say that the scene were Brom was put in the Diamond Tomb, it never happened in this story. It will be explained at a later time of how he managed to survive but Brom does make an appearance in this chapter.**

**Blaze: (still sleeping)**

**Darth: and the only reason Blaze kept Brom alive is because Brom is one of her favorite characters so basically Eragon didn't happen as it did in cannon.**

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**Three:**

**Survivor Search**

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Feinster was as silent as the dead of night and stars sparkled in the black sky above. Arya gazed up at the sky before narrowing her green eyes slightly and pushing her black hair out of her face. She glanced over her shoulder as the Varden Queen, Nasuada, walked over to join her. Only a day had passed by since the Battle of Feinster and the disappearance of both Murtagh and Eragon.

Thorn and Saphira were currently trying to find their riders and Ayra, who was in charge of Glaedr's Eldunari while Saphira went searching for her rider, gazed up at the sky. "This sudden disappearance is not going to be good if Galbatorix finds out," she murmured.

"I fear Galbatorix already knows," Nasuada said softly gazing up at the night sky. "Should we allow Thorn to rest here while he and Saphira are searching for their riders?"

Arya frowned. "Personally, I don't think that is a good idea but it is up to you," she said.

"I want your advice, Arya, Svit'kona," Nasuada said.

Arya sighed. "I think we should allow them to stay," she said softly.

"Really?"

"Yes, it would be best and besides if we just toss them out than we are no better than the Empire," the young Elven Princess replied.

As if on cue a shadow fell over the city and Arya glanced up in time to find Saphira and Thorn circling above them. Saphira dived to the ground but Thorn hesitated and, after Saphira gestured to him with her tail, did he fly down to the ground as well.

_We were unable to locate Eragon or Murtagh,_ Saphria said silently projecting her thought to Arya who repeated the thought out loud to Nasuada.

"Where could they be?" Nasuada wondered.

Thorn hesitated before glancing at Saphira who nodded her great head and he gazed back at Arya and Nasuada. _When we were fighting, both Murtagh and Eragon fell into the Spine but we can't seem to locate them,_ he said projecting his thought to Arya who repeated it to Nasuada.

"This is not good," Nasuada murmured. "Especially if Galbatorix finds out."

_Galbatorix is angry because of this sudden turn of events,_ Thorn said silently.

"Why do you say that?" Arya asked.

Thorn hesitated before glancing at Saphira who dipped her head as if gesturing for the great red dragon to continue. _Because both Murtagh and I have changed our true names, whether it was unintentional or not, we have,_ he said silently.

"Galbatorix will not like that," Nasauda commented when Arya repeated Thorn's thought to her.

"No he will not but I think this shall benefit the Varden," Arya said before pausing and adding softly, "if we can find Eragon and Murtagh before Galbatorix does that is."

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Ice narrowed her gray brown eyes as the door to her cell opened and Galbatorix stalked into it, his black eyes were narrowed with fury. "I want to know why you were trying to steal the last dragon egg," he demanded angrily.

"It is none of your business, your Majesty," Ice retorted saying the last two words a bit scornfully. She knew it was unwise to treat the Dark King this way but frankly she didn't care, she just hoped Galbatorix wouldn't recognize her any more than he has already.

"Where you thinking Brom, if he is indeed alive, will be able to find the last dragon rider?" The dark king demanded.

"He did find the first one," Ice retorted.

Galbatorix snarled in fury. "You are trying my patience, Ice," he hissed.

"What patience?"

The Dark King snarled in fury and Ice suddenly felt a searing pain in her mind and she screamed in pain, putting her hands on her head and struggling to keep the most important memories from the dark King.

"What are you keeping from me?" Galbatorix snarled.

"Nothing," Ice retorted.

Galbatorix's eyes were flaring with deep anger and he began to probe deeper into Ice's mind but Ice did her best to keep her thoughts away from Galbatorix. "I will find out what you are hiding from me, Ice, one way or another," he hissed before turning around and stalking out of the cell, slamming the cell door hard behind him.

Ice gazed after the dark king before getting to her feet and turning her gaze to the barred window of the dungeon beneath the palace at Uru'bean. _I sure hope he is all right,_ she thought.

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Eragon moaned in pain as he struggled into a sitting position. They had been in the same clearing they had fallen in for the past day but Eragon had been in too much pain to so much as sit up. He put the piece of cloth Murtagh had given him to his forehead as the blood from the cut began to fall into his face.

"What are we supposed to do know?" he muttered glancing at Murtagh who was sitting nearby and putting logs into a pile before using the logs to make a fire.

"I do not know," Murtagh admitted. "Without magic, as you said, we are completely on our own."

Eragon nodded before straightening up which proved to be a mistake and he moaned before putting his hands on his broken ribs. "This is not going to be good," he murmured struggling to make his way to his half-brother's side.

"Indeed it won't," Murtagh agreed. He tossed another log into the fire as the logs caught ablaze. "At least we have some warmth."

"But what about food?"

"We can always hunt," Murtagh said before pausing, examining Eragon, and adding, "at least I can hunt that is."

"I can hunt too," Eragon protested but when he so much as shifted his position, his broken bones were agitated and he moaned in pain. "I guess I can't," he murmured.

Murtagh smiled slightly before standing up. "I'll be back in a while," he said and Eragon nodded before watching as Murtagh walked out of the clearing with his bow and shaft of arrows across his shoulder.

Eragon gazed at the fire for a long moment before placing a hand on his broken ribs, "_Waise heil,_" he whispered but, just as it didn't happen with Murtagh, the magic didn't work with him.

Eragon let out a long sigh before leaning back on his elbows, wincing at the pain in his ribs as he waited for his half-brother to return.

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The morning dawned bright and the sun slowly crawled into the gray sky, shedding rays of sunlight onto the landscape of Alagaesia. Brom gazed up at the sky before letting out a long sigh and leaning against the tree where he was waiting. Though he was only a few days journey from Feinster he had decided to rest for a bit before he went onward with his journey.

Letting out a long sigh, Brom knew that the Varden would be a bit surprised to find him still alive because of the fact that Eragon and Murtagh had been there when he supposedly died but Eragon didn't know that Murtagh had saved his life while he had been unconscious but Brom had made Murtagh swear not to tell Eragon that he was still alive.

Brom did that only because Eragon and Murtagh would have been in more danger if Galbatorix knew that Brom was still alive. The fact that Brom had survived is awfully complicated to explain more so is the how he survived that is complicated to explain. Brom didn't even know how he survived except for Murtagh which was hard to explain on its' own.

Shaking his head to clear it Brom pushed himself off of the tree before starting to walk toward the city of Feinster.

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Murtagh slowly made his way back into the clearing where he had left Eragon with only a rabbit he had caught. He may not like eating live animals for food but he will if only to stop himself from starving. He sighed as he walked into the clearing and Eragon glanced up at him, his eyes were narrowed with pain.

"I don't eat meat," he said.

Murtagh placed the rabbit on the ground. "It is that or starve," he replied. "I know you are basically a half elf hybrid right about now but you need to eat."

Eragon nodded which proved to be a mistake and he moaned in pain. Murtagh glanced at his half brother in concern as he began to cook the meat. "We are going to need to start moving, we can't be sure of what predators may be out there," he said.

"If only we could use magic than I wouldn't be in this predicament," Eragon muttered but nodded in reply. After they ate, Eragon a bit reluctantly, they covered the fire with sand before getting to their feet and Murtagh gazed around before putting his arm around his half-brother's shoulders to keep him on his feet.

"This is going to be slow going," he commented.

"Yes," Eragon agreed. With Eragon leaning on Murtagh's shoulder, he led the way out of the clearing without once glancing back.

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**A/n what do you think?**

**Blaze: (still sleeping)**

**Darth: well that was chapter 3**

**Tigerstar: cool**

**Darth: yeah**

**Blaze: (still sleeping)**

**Tigerstar: so…Brom didn't die in **_**Eragon**_** but Eragon believes that he is dead**

**Darth: I guess so, you're going to have to ask Blaze**

**Tigerstar: (pulls out megaphone) BLAZE!**

**Blaze: (wakes up before groggily slamming a machete on Tigerstar's head and goes back to sleep)**

**Tigerstar's Ghost: ow!**

**Darth: (laughs)**

**Tigerstar's Ghost: that's mean**

**Darth: please review and Blaze will try to post the next chapter as soon as she possibly can but she doubts it will be any time soon**


	4. Four: Arrival

**Blaze: here is the next chapter**

**Darth: is it going to be short?**

**Blaze: mmmmmaaaaaayyyyybbbbbeeeee**

**Darth: ah okay**

**Blaze: so…**

**Tigerstar: here is chapter 4 and Blaze hopes you like it**

**Blaze: I was going to say that**

**Tigerstar: I'm sure**

**Murtagh: (accidentally runs Tigerstar over while on Thorn)**

**Tigerstar's Ghost: ah come on**

**Murtagh: my bad**

* * *

**Four:**

**Arrival**

* * *

The night was starting to fall into the night sky and Murtagh could tell his half-brother was losing what little energy he had. The pain from his many wounds was starting to catch up with him and Murtagh couldn't help but glance at his brother, worry in his eyes. Ever since he had changed his true name, he has been more worried about his half-brother than ever before. He figured it was because he had changed his true name but he couldn't be sure.

"Why don't we stop for a while?" he suggested.

Eragon glanced up at him, pain in his brown eyes. "I am well, we can keep going," he muttered though his teeth were gritted with pain.

"You are not all right, Eragon, you can barely stand on your own two feet and if we are to get out of here, we are going to need all the help we can get," Murtagh replied, his voice icily calm.

"Aye, very well," Eragon muttered. Murtagh gently lowered his half-brother to the ground and Eragon leaned against a tree, his gaze was trained on the starry sky above their heads.

"We still cannot use magic, can we?" he asked after several moments of silence as he glanced at his half-brother.

"No, I have already tried," Murtagh replied, his eyes were narrowed slightly as he walked around the grassy clearing, making sure there were no dangerous creatures that could attack them during the night.

Eragon sighed. "I guess we are still helpless out here until we can get to a part where we can use our magic or contact Saphira or Thorn," he said.

"Aye," Murtagh agreed. He sat down cross legged on the ground before narrowing his eyes. "I wonder if Galbatorix knows about my changing my true name. If he does, we are going to be facing a lot more than just the dangers of the Spine."

"Aye," Eragon agreed. He paused for a moment before adding, "I wonder how the Varden are doing."

"They are most likely recovering from the battle at Feinster two days ago," Murtagh commented.

"I wonder if they know you have changed your true name."

"If Thorn changed his true name about the same time, I'm sure he told them."

Eragon gazed at his half-brother for a long moment. "Was your life with your father really as bad as you make it out to be?" he asked cautiously.

Murtagh scowled. "You saw what he did to me when I was only three years old," he snapped. "My father was a cold-hearted bloodthirsty murderer and I absolutely hate him."

"How is it that you were able to change your true name and yet still hate your father?"

Murtagh narrowed his eyes. "I do not know," he admitted, the confusion was evident in his voice. "I guess it was because of my desire to want to change my true name and, maybe, the protection I felt toward you. I didn't want to kill you though Galbatorix had ordered me to either bring you to him or kill you and I knew you wouldn't do the first and I could not bring myself to do the latter. I still feel guilty over what happened to Hrothgar and to Oromis and Glaedr after all."

Eragon's eyes narrowed. "Why did you kill Oromis and Glaedr?" he asked.

"I didn't kill them, Galbatorix did, he just used me as his pawn in order to accomplish his wishes," Murtagh muttered, his hands gripping into fists. "I didn't want to kill them, I wanted them to help me but they couldn't and then Galbatorix took control of me and forced me to kill them." He glanced up, as if just figuring out what Eragon had asked, before narrowing his eyes.

"How did you know about that? You were in Feinster while I was over Gi'lead," he asked.

Eragon looked away and Murtagh got the impression that he had revealed something he promised to someone he wouldn't reveal. "It's…never mind, just forget I mentioned that," he murmured.

"You made a promise in the ancient language to not mention anything about how you discovered what happened over Gi'lead?" Murtagh asked and Eragon nodded though he stayed silent.

Murtagh let out a long sigh. "We can worry about that later, Eragon, we have enough problems to think about now," he said.

"Aye, we do," Eragon agreed.

* * *

Brom narrowed his eyes as the world seemed to blur around him. He was currently riding on his way toward Feinster but his thoughts were on other things. The one thing he was thinking about above all else were the events that transpired when the Ra'zacs had attacked them. He knew that Eragon and Murtagh had to flee because the Ra'zacs were getting to close to them and had to leave him there but Brom accepted that.

He knew that Murtagh would not tell Eragon about how he survived until Brom can reveal it to his son when they finally meet. He fervently hoped Eragon was all right and at Feinster but he couldn't help but wonder if he was there.

The journey to Feinster was coming to a close and two dragons flying over the city. Brom recognized one of the dragons immediately; the sapphire blue scales reminded him of his dragon, whom the dragon was named after.

As if catching sight of him, Saphira dived down to the ground before landing in front of Brom. The red dragon that was following her landed behind the sapphire blue dragon and Saphira stretched her head forward, her eyes narrowing.

_Brom?_ She asked silently.

"Aye, hello Saphira," Brom greeted his son's dragon as he climbed off of his horse before watching as Saphira gently sniffed him, as if making sure it was really him.

_What happened? I thought you had died,_ Saphira said.

"Aye, everyone thought so, the only one who knows the truth is Murtagh," Brom replied.

_Murtagh? Eragon does not know,_ Saphira asked silently.

"Aye, I made Murtagh swear to me in the ancient language that he would not tell Eragon until I can reveal it to him myself," Brom replied calmly, he paused for a moment before adding, "is Eragon here?"

Saphira exchanged a glance with the red dragon that was sitting down behind her. _I'm sorry, Brom, but Eragon and Murtagh have been missing for a few days. A battle happened and they were fighting. They ended up falling off of Thorn and I and we were so locked in our fight that we were unable to catch them. They landed somewhere in the Spine and we cannot find them,_ she said silently.

"Thorn? Is he Murtagh's dragon? Is Muztagh a dragon rider?" Brom asked sounding shocked.

_Aye,_ Saphira replied silently. _They used to work for the Empire until they changed their true names and Thorn has been helping me try to find them ever since._

Brom glanced at Thorn as the red dragon prowled cautiously forward, his ruby red eyes were narrowed with fear. "_Fricai onr eka eddyr_," he said calmly.

Thorn hesitated again before glancing at Saphira who nodded encouragingly to him and the red dragon stretched out his snout before sniffing Brom. _You are a Shur'tugal?_ he asked.

"Was," Brom replied calmly. _Will you help us to find our riders?_ Thorn asked silently.

"Of course but first I must speak with the Varden leader," Brom replied.

_We shall take you to Nasuada,_ Saphira said silently.

"Nasuada? What happened to Ajihad?"

_He died during the Battle Under Farthen Dur,_ Saphira replied.

"Ah, very well, let us go," Brom said. He climbed onto his horse before following Saphira and Thorn as they flew into the air before flying back toward Feinster and he rode after them. As they flew and rode onward, Brom couldn't help but wonder if his son and Murtagh were all right.

* * *

**A/n what do you think?**

**Blaze: well that was a short chapter**

**Darth: you said it would be**

**Tigerstar's Ghost: why did Murtagh run me over?**

**Murtagh: it was an accident, let it go!**

**Tigerstar's Ghost: not likely**

**Murtagh: (sighs and flies off on Thorn to the nearest Dairy Queen)**

**Blaze: (laughs) please review and I'll post the next chapter as soon as I possibly can**


	5. Five: A Quest Begins

**Blaze: yay! Time for the next chapter!**

**Galbycakes: (Tosses Lefty the Giant Spider at Blaze)**

**Blaze: AIIIIIIIEEEEE SPIDER! (Uses the Force to toss Lefty at Voldymuffin who happened to be nearby)**

**Voldymuffin: wait a minute! I'm not even in this story (disappears)**

**Lefty: so what am I supposed to do?**

**Blaze: get that SPIDER AWAY FROM ME!**

**Lefty: okay (chases after Galbycakes)**

**Galbycakes: noooooooo! (Runs off with Lefty right behind him)**

**Murtagh: what's with him?**

**Eragon: how should I know?**

**Blaze: here is chapter five and I hope you like it and sorry it's short**

* * *

**Five:**

**A Quest Begins**

**

* * *

**

Arya glanced up startled when the elf Blodhgarm's voice sounded outside. "Your Highness, Queen Nasuada wishes to speak with you," the elven witch from Ellesméra said and Arya sighed before getting to her feet.

"I'm coming, Blodhgarm," she called to the elf before getting changed and strapping her sword around her waist. She walked out of the tent and narrowed her eyes as she studied the elf that stood in front of her. "What was so important? We are not being attacked again, are we?" she asked.

"No, Lady Arya, but Nasuada wishes to speak with you, she also asked me to find Roran Stronghammer as well," Blodhgarm replied calmly.

"Aye, very well, where is she?" Arya asked. Blodhgarm pointed in the direction of Nasuada's tent and Arya nodded in reply before walking over the city. Lady Lorana was standing nearby, talking with the other elves that Arya mother, Islanzadi, had sent to aid Eragon. But now that Eragon was lost in the Spine, Arya knew that they were only here to ensure the protection of the Varden should Galbatorix decide to attack without his dragon rider.

Roran joined her before Arya reached Nasuada's tent and Arya noticed Katrina was just behind him, her hand resting on her swollen abdomen. Arya fervently hoped that their child wouldn't have to be born in the midst of a war but she also knew that Katrina was too far along that the child may have to be born during the far.

"Hello Arya," Roran greeted him.

"Roran," Arya replied calmly. She and Roran, after Roran said goodbye to Katrina, walked into Nasuada's tent and what they saw caused Arya to come to a stop, her green eyes shooting wide with shock.

"Hello Arya," Brom greeted her; if he was fazed by the shock in Arya's eyes, he didn't show it.

"Arya, Roran, I called you here mainly because maybe you two can explain this to me," Nasuada said, the dark skinned Varden Queen leaned back in her seat before narrowing her eyes.

"I…I can't believe it," Arya breathed. "I thought you died before I even meet up with Eragon and Murtagh."

Brom shrugged. "Everyone believed that," he replied. "I managed to survive, however, thanks to Murtagh."

"Murtagh?"

"Aye, he saved my life but I made him promise in the Ancient Language not to tell anyone that I had survived because I knew if word of my survival reached Galbatorix's ears, the survival of the Varden would be in jeopardy," Brom replied calmly.

"Does Eragon know?" Roran asked narrowing his eyes. Arya knew that this was the first time Roran got to meet his cousin's father ever since Eragon had told them that Brom was his father and Morzan wasn't.

"No, I specifically told Murtagh to not tell Eragon, he was to find out when certain circumstances are met," Brom replied.

"Will some one please tell me what is going on?" Nasuada protested narrowing her dark eyes.

Arya glanced at Brom. "Brom is Eragon's father," she replied calmly.

"Really?" Nasuada said, her eyes shooting wide with shock.

"Aye," Brom replied. He narrowed his eyes slightly before adding, "when was the last time you saw Eragon?"

"Just before Galbatorix's men attacked Feinster," Arya replied. "From what Saphira and Thorn have told me, Eragon and Murtagh both fell in the Spine."

"Aye, that is what Saphira and Thorn told me as well," Brom said. He glanced at Nausada. "With your permission, my lady, I want to search for my son and Murtagh."

"You want to go alone?" Arya said sounding shocked.

"If I must, the Varden have done fine on their own when everyone thought I was dead and they will do fine without me," Brom replied.

"I'm going with you," Roran said.

"What about Katrina?" Nasuada asked.

Roran hesitated and Arya could see the conflict rising in his eyes. She knew he wanted to go look for his cousin but she also knew that he didn't want to leave his wife. "I don't know," he murmured.

"If Roran wishes to come with me, he may," Brom said. Roran glanced at the man Arya figured was his Uncle. It made sense because of Brom was Eragon's father and Eragon was Roran's cousin, that meant Brom was Roran's uncle.

"Katrina is still three months away from being due, I'm sure she will be all right," Roran said.

Arya narrowed her eyes though she began to think about Eragon. She told herself she was only thinking about him because Eragon was the Varden's only hope of succeeding against the Empire, unless Murtagh really had changed his true name. _But why do I have this feeling that I might never see him again?_ Arya wondered silently. She would never admit it but she liked Eragon, she would never like him as much as Faolin but she still liked him.

_But maybe this is more than that, do I really like Eragon more than I loved Faolin_? Arya wonderd silently but she shook her head and told herself that she was being ridiculous.

"May I come with you?" she asked before she had a chance to think about what she was saying.

"We need you here, Arya," Nasuada pointed out.

"I don't think so, even Galbatorix isn't that stupid to attack at the same place three times in a row, especially when he lost the first two times. And besides, unless he comes out of hiding himself, he does not have another dragon rider to lead the attack," Brom said.

"But does he know that Eragon is lost in the Spine?" Nasuada asked.

"We have to hope that he does not," Brom replied.

"Very well, Arya, you may go with Brom if you so wish," Nasuada said. Brom nodded in reply before glancing at Arya and Roran.

"We want to go with you," Roran said and Arya nodded in agreement.

"Very well, than we shall leave now," Brom said.

"Good luck, I fear you shall need it," Nasuada said and Brom, Arya and Roran nodded in agreement before they made their way out of the Varden Queen's tent before making their way to the outskirts of Feinster and toward the Spine.

**A/n what do you think?**

**Blaze: wow, that was a short chapter**

**Darth: nah you think**

**Blaze: no I know**

**Darth: you're a dumb butt**

**Blaze: no you are**

**Darth: am not**

**Blaze: are too**

**Darth: am not**

**Blaze: are too**

**Galbycakes: ah shut up already (tosses another Giant Spider at Blaze)**

**Blaze: AIIIIIIEEEEEE SPIDER!!!!!!! (Takes off running)**

**Righty the Giant Spider: what's with her?**

**Lefty the Giant Spider: who knows?**

**Palpypie: oh God, there's two of them**

**Sky the Giant Bee: I ain't done with you yet (chases Palpypie)**

**Palpypie: AHHHHHHHH! (Takes off running)**

**Lefty: I'll join you, Sky (takes off after Palpypie)**

**Righty: me too (takes off after Palpypie)**

**Palpypie: WHY ME?! (Runs away with the Giant Bee and the two Giant Spiders after him)**

**Darth: (sighs) please review and Blaze will post the next chapter as soon as she possibly can and she's sorry about the long author's note**


	6. Six: The Healing Flower

**Blaze: yay time for the next chapter**

**Darth: cappuccino!**

**Tigerstar: (takes off ruunning)**

**Darth: (sits down and waits for his cappuccino) works every time, what's going on Blaze? What are we going to do to Palpypie today?**

**Blaze: wrong story**

**Darth: okay, let's through Galbycakes into the inferno**

**Galbycakes: NOOOOO! (Takes off in Mace's Mustang)**

**Mace: I'm going to through him into the inferno (takes off after him in Murtagh's Camaro)**

**Murtagh: that was not cool!**

**Eragon: I'm out of this, I'm going to go talk to Arya**

**Luke: idiot**

**Arya: you think**

**Eragon: that's mean! What did I do?**

**Blaze: (laughs) here is chapter 6 and I hope that you like it**

* * *

**Six:**

**The Healing Flower**

* * *

Galbatorix was furious; then again, he has been furious ever since he learned that Murtagh somehow slipped from his hold and the former dragon rider Brom was still alive. He still didn't know the true identity of Ice because, in spite of the fact that he knew her true name, she still fought against the hold and refused to tell him. And that just made the King more angry than ever before.

He continued to pace, his eyes narrowed in thought and he wasn't aware of the arrival of one of his soldiers. "Your Majesty?" a voice said and Galbatorix turned his cold gaze to the soldier who shrank back a step.

"What?" he hissed such venom in his voice caused the soldier to prudently to step back.

"Y…Your M…Majesty, I-I am afraid to tell you that the green egg has gone missing," said the soldier.

"What?!" Galbatorix snarled, his eyes blazing with fury and the soldier took another step back.

"W…We checked all the possible exits that the thief could have taken and we have blocked off all exits out of Uru'bean. We also found the location of the tunnel that was used to steal the blue egg and we put guards on it as well. We will not let this thief get away," the soldier said.

"You had better not or I shall hold you personally responsible," the dark King hissed and the soldier nodded before bowing and hurrying out of the room. Galbatorix began pacing again; fuming in anger and wondering how someone could have gotten past his guards and magicians in time to steal the third egg.

* * *

Ice let out a long sigh as she gazed through the bared window that lay above her head. Only a few days had passed by since she was imprisoned here and she found herself more bored than ever before. She knew that when she was younger, if only slightly, she was used to having something to do to keep her mind occupied.

Now that she was on her own, she didn't know what else to do so she was alone with her thoughts. Her thoughts distressed her and she couldn't help but wonder about her children and she let out another long sigh.

Her brown gaze was gazing out of the window and she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the cell door opened. "Are you okay?" a voice sounded and Ice leapt up with a small cry of fright. She whirled around before narrowing her eyes and the man that stood at the entrance to the cell chuckled slightly.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he said.

"Who are you? And why are you helping me?" Ice asked.

"Let's just say, I'm a friend," the man replied. Ice nodded and got to her feet before pausing.

"I don't trust you," she said, noticing the armor that the man was wearing. And she also noticed a package was tucked underneath his arm. She didn't know what the package was and she also knew that she could not trust the man.

"I know but I can get you out of here, I know a tunnel that even King Galbatorix doesn't know about," the man replied.

"But…Galbatorix knows my true name," Ice protested.

The man laughed. "No he doesn't," he replied and Ice stared at him, shock in her brown eyes and for a long moment she didn't say anything.

"What?" she asked finally.

"I made it seem as though he found your true name when, in truth, he found out the true name of the person in the cell next to you. You thought it was your true name because both your true name and the true name of the person in the cell beside you sound similar," the man replied.

"How did you do that?"

"I'll explain on the way."

"Why are you helping me?" Ice asked again.

"Let's just say, I'm switching sides," the man replied. He held out a hand and Ice hesitated before taking the hand and slowly getting to her feet. She hurried after the man as he led the way away from the cell and down the dank, shadowy hallway.

"May I at least know your name?" she asked after they had ran a few yards in utter silence.

"Just call me Shadow," the man replied calmly as they hurried down the hallways. They ran for a long time and by the time they reached the tunnel that Shadow was talking about.

"What is that?" Ice asked gesturing to the package in the man's arms.

"Here, take it and hurry toward the Varden, please," the man murmured holding out the package to Ice who hesitated. The man nodded encouragingly and she took the package. "Be careful with it and take this," he handed her the torch he was carrying, "it will light your way."

"Thank you, Shadow," Ice murmured softly.

Shadow smiled slightly before glancing over his shoulder as the sound of many people running down the hallways of the dungeon came to them. "Go," he ordered.

"What about you?" Ice protested.

"Just go and tell Brom that I say thank you," Shadow replied.

"Why?"

"Just tell him."

Ice hesitated but nodded. "Very well, goodbye," she said. She opened the trapdoor before hurrying into the tunnel but before she shut the door, she heard Shadow's voice call softly down.

"Goodbye Selena."

Wincing slightly and not know how Shadow discovered her real name, she hurried down the tunnel, gripping the package in one arm and the torch in the other. When she came to a stop, she held the torch toward the package before narrowing her eyes.

_What was this?_ She wondered silently as she opened the package and when she opened it, she nearly dropped it as surprise crossed through her brown gaze.

It was the third dragon egg.

* * *

"We should stop now, you look about ready to collapse," Murtagh said turning his blue gaze to his half-brother as Eragon's knees nearly buckled. Worry crossed through his body as he helped Eragon sit down before kneeling down beside him.

"_Waise heil,_" he murmured softly but, just like the other times he had tried it, nothing happened.

"Thanks for trying," Eragon said softly. Murtagh nodded and leaned back on his heels, his eyes narrowing slightly as he examined his half-brother. His half-brother was badly injured, they hardly had any food, they were running out of water and they were lost in the Spine._ Could this day get any worse?_ Murtagh thought gazing up at the sky above his head.

As if on cue a shot of lightning shot across the sky and it was followed by a loud crackle of thunder; clouds covered the sky and a sprinkle of rain began to fall from the sky. _I thought too soon,_ Murtagh thought.

"This is not good," Eragon muttered as the rain continued to fall from the sky.

"No it is not," Murtagh replied. He sighed. "I'm going to go see if I can find us some food, will you be fine on your own?"

"Yes, I will be fine," Eragon replied. Murtagh nodded before walking away from his half-brother and making his way into the forest. He pushed aside some low hanging branches before pulling out zar'roc and narrowing his eyes as he scanned the area.

When he reached a clearing, he paused, amazed at what he saw. The clearing was covered with grass that was slowly swaying in the breeze. Flowers of a variety of colors lay scattered across the grass-covered area. Murtagh narrowed his eyes when he spotted a flower that stood out from the others. It was a purple flower with some pink and blue petals and a silver bud in the center.

_Strange,_ he thought before making his way over to the flower. When he touched it, he heard a whispered voice on the wind.

"For healing."

Murtagh narrowed his eyes, convinced that he was hearing things and he started to get to his feet but the voice came again.

"For healing."

_Very strange,_ Murtagh thought. Against his better judgment, he knelt down before gently plucking the flower out of the ground. He sniffed the flower and almost instantly he felt a bit better, the small twinge of pain from the wound in his arm faded away and he stared in amazement at the flower.

_Was that magic?_ He wondered silently. He took the flower before making his way to rejoin his half-brother.

Eragon glanced up as he entered the clearing. "Will this rain ever stop?" He complained.

"Maybe so, I hope so," Murtagh replied.

"What happened to the wound on your arm?" Eragon asked. Murtagh turned his gaze to his arm and he noticed that the cut on his arm was healed.

"I think it was this flower, I smelled it and the pain disappeared," Murtagh replied. "Maybe it would work for you."

"Maybe," Eragon muttered. He took the flower from Murtagh and Murtagh watched as his half-brother smelled the flower. The flower wilted before disappearing into powder on the ground.

"Do you feel any different?" Murtagh asked.

"I do," Eragon replied glancing up and Murtagh noticed the wound on his forehead was gone. Eragon stood up a bit shakily and Murtagh instantly held out a arm to support him. "My ribs and arm don't hurt any more, I think that worked."

Murtagh smiled slightly. "It is a good thing it did," he said. He turned his gaze to the sky above his head. "Let's just hope that we will be able to get out of here."

"I'm sure we will, Murtagh," Eragon replied. "I hope," he added in a lower voice.

**A/n what do you think?**

**Blaze: yay! Eragon's healed!**

**Tigerstar: (comes running up) here's your cappuccino**

**Darth: it's about time, (takes cappuccino from Tigerstar and drinks it) damn it, it's cold! (Grabs Brisingr from Eragon to heat up coffee) Brisingr!**

**Eragon: hey! What are you doing with my sword?**

**Galbycakes: hello**

**Palpypie: hello**

**Anakin: polar bears shall rule the world, mwahahahahaha**

**Luke: and then the galaxy, mwahahahahaha**

**Galbycakes and Palpypie: (takes off running)**

**Eragon: what the hell?**

**Blaze: for any of my reviewers who don't understand, read chapter 32 of "Alagaesia Goes Crazy"**

**Anakin: let's go conquer Coruscant**

**Luke: come, polar bears**

**Random Army of Polar Bears: yes sir! (Follows Luke and Anakin)**

**Eragon: that was freaky, those polar bears were talking**

**Murtagh: you're telling me**

**Blaze: (laughs) please review and I will post the next chapter as soon as I possibly can**


	7. Seven: Nightfall and Daybreak

**Blaze: finally I am able to update this story**

**Darth: it's getting late**

**Blaze: yeah, I know**

**Darth: well, thought I'd let you know**

**Blaze: (rolls eyes) here's chapter seven and I hope that you like it and yes, Brom did not know who Ice really was. By the way, sorry for the delay in the post of this chapter, I wanted to post it last month but I got sidetracked and then the last week I have been busy with finals and all so yeah.**

**Laterose13:** I think you were the only that guessed it right but keep thinking and you might find out who Shadow is, thanks for the review.

**Lightkit: **ha, Galby lost the eggs, ha. As for your guess, I won't tell you 'cause I don't want to spoil a future chapter. Thanks for the review.

**Happyfish:** here's that update you wanted, thanks for the review

**Writer of the North:** Yes as in Eragon's mom, thanks for the review

**murdrax: **thanks for the review

**

* * *

**

**Seven:**

**Nightfall and Daybreak**

**

* * *

**

Brom narrowed his eyes as he glanced at his two companions, the elf Princess Arya and his son's cousin Roran. Arya and Roran were talking in low voice and Brom got the feeling that the two of them didn't like heading off into the Spine without know as to where they would be going. Brom knew that he had to find his son, he felt that Eragon was in danger and he had to hope that Murtagh was taking care of his half-brother.

"Why are we looking for Murtagh?" Roran asked finally.

"Because he is likely to be with Eragon," Brom replied calmly. "And besides, Murtagh and Thorn changed their true names, as I am sure you know."

Arya nodded once in reply. "How long will it take us to reach the Spine?" she asked.

"I cannot say," Brom replied. They were only on the outskirts of Feinster and Brom could see the Spine looming in front of him. They had waited a few days before they left as to elude any spies that may be within the ranks of the Varden. Brom was already afraid that Galbatorix already knew that he was still alive and he also knew that he had to find his son and Murtagh before it was too late.

Arya frowned suddenly. "What is that?" she asked pointing to where a lone figure was struggling to make their way to the city.

Roran narrowed his eyes. "It looks like a human," he said.

"Aye it is," Brom replied his eyes were narrowed as well as the woman came within view and he was a bit surprised to recognize the woman that was stopping in front of them. _But she died after she gave birth to Eragon?_ He protested silently.

The woman was panting and her brown eyes were glittering with exhaustion and Brom quickly went to her side, stretching out an arm to keep the woman upright. In her arms was a cloth that looked as though it was wrapped around something. The woman gazed up at him before smiling slightly when she recognized him.

"Who is this, Brom?" Arya asked.

Brom glanced at the two of them but the woman spoke before he could. "I am known as Ice," she said. "And I believe that this belongs to you two." She held out the cloth and Brom frowned before taking the cloth and opening it up, his eyes shooting wide with shock.

"I cannot believe it," he gasped.

"What is it?" Roran asked.

Brom showed the contents to Arya and Roran. "The last dragon egg," he said softly.

Arya's eyes were huge. "How did you get this?" she asked.

"A man known as Shadow gave it to me before he helped me escape Galbatorix's dungeons," Ice replied.

"We need to find Eragon, Brom," Arya said as Brom wrapped the egg up again and he felt Ice stiffen at his side.

"I know, Ice, will you take this back to Lady Nasuada?" Brom asked.

Ice frowned. "I'm exhausted and I do not think I will be able to make it," she said and Brom got the impression that she wanted to talk with him alone because he knew of how strong Ice really was.

"Roran, Arya, will you wait for me in the forest? I'm sure you'll be able to hid in the forest just in case there is anyone out there. I will join you soon," said Brom.

Roran and Arya, their eyes narrowed with uncertainty, nodded once before they walked toward the forest and Brom turned to look at Ice. "Everyone said that you had died in childbirth," he said softly.

Ice smiled slightly. "I know," she murmured. "I had to make people believe that I was dead so that Galbatorix would not try and get me under his service again."

Brom smiled slightly. "I'm glad that you are alive," he murmured.

"Aye, what about Eragon?" Ice asked her voice filled with worry.

Brom sighed. "He's missing, he and Murtagh fell into the Spine and none of them have been seen since and that was several days ago," he said. "Princess Arya, Roran and I are going into look for them and you need to go to Feinster and deliver the egg to Lady Nasuada."

Ice sighed. "All right, I just hope my babies are all right," she whispered.

"I am sure they are, they have both been taking care of themselves for quite a while after all," Brom replied.

Ice smiled slightly. "I can make it the rest of the way to Feinster," she said.

"Very well," Brom said.

"Please find my babies, Brom," Ice whispered.

"I will, do not worry. Eragon is my son after all and Murtagh is his half-brother," he said before he lowered his head as he released Ice. Ice smiled as she gazed up at him before she made her way toward Feinster and Brom gazed at her before he turned around and hurried to join Arya and Roran.

_What was that about?_ Saphira's voice sounded in his mind.

Brom gazed up in time to see Saphira circling the city of Feinster. _A woman known as Ice is coming into the city, she has the last dragon egg,_ he said silently.

_I will inform Lady Nasuada,_ Saphira said before her voice disappeared from his mind and Brom resumed his walking toward the Spine just as night began to fall.

* * *

Murtagh glanced at his brother as Eragon sank down onto the ground, exhaustion gleaming in his brown eyes. He gazed up at the sky as dawn began to break and the sun started to rise into the sky. "It is almost dawn," he said softly looking at Eragon.

Eragon nodded. "We have not had much sleep since you found that plant of healing," he murmured.

Murtagh narrowed his eyes. "If we travel by night then we will have less of a chance of getting detected. I suggest we sleep for a while and then continue our journey, wherever it may lead, tonight," he said."

"Aye, I agree." Eragon lied down before closing his eyes and Murtagh watched as his half fell asleep. He stayed awake for a long while before he gazed around. _We are going to need water soon,_ he thought. He was only lucky that he had found that small stream with pure water enough to keep them dehydrated but he had nothing to carry the water in.

_Perhaps there is another stream nearby,_ he thought getting to his feet. He made his way out of the clearing, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the area before coming to a stop when he heard the gurgle of water. He walked forward before stopping when he saw a sight to behold.

* * *

**A/n what do you think?**

**Blaze: yeah, I know it was really short, sorry**

**Darth: are you going to make the next chapter longer?**

**Blaze: heads it will be four pages long, tails it will be six pages long (flips coin) dang, tails it is**

**Darth: good luck with that**

**Blaze: (dryly) thanks**

**Mace: what happened to my new Mustang?**

**Blaze: (drives off in Mace's new Mustang before crashing it into a statue of Palpypie)**

**Palpypie: damn it! I just put that up last week!**

**Mace: (scowls angrily, stabs Palpypie and stalks off)**

**Blaze: ha, you pissed off Mace**

**Palpypie: No you did!**

**Blaze: (Scowls, stabs Palpypie and stalks off)**

**Darth: you pissed of Blaze **_**again**_**, and Mace and me 'cause you stole my cappuccino**

**Palpypie: that was not even in this story!**

**Darth: well so? (Stabs Palpypie and stalks off)**

**Murtagh and Eragon: (rolling in the dirt and laughing their asses off)**

**Palpypie: it's not funny**

**Tigerstar: (scowls, stabs Palpypie and stalks off)**

**Palpypie's Ghost: where the hell did he come from?**

**Blaze: no cussing (makes Palpypie alive, scowls, stabs Palpypie and stalks off)**

**Murtagh: dang, you died like five times**

**Galbycakes: Murtagh! Get back here!**

**Murtagh: (scowls, stabs Galbycakes and stalks off)**

**Eragon: (Scowls, stabs Galbycakes and stalks off)**

**Blaze: whoops! Long author's note. Please review and sorry about the long author's note and the short chapter, the next chapter will be longer, I promise you it will be.**


End file.
